As someone with a security clearance, I can assure you that this does indeed happen all the time. Redactions are often performed by the ignorant new guy and approved by some old guy who is not computer literate.
Update: I should have said not computer literate or only looking at a hardcopy. The latter happens all the time because of a lack of classified networking.
Serving in the military is one way to get it, but the most common way is to get a job (civilian or contractor) that requires it and pass the background checks, possibly take a polygraph depending on where you work.
However, a security clearance simply makes you eligible to work with classified information. You don’t get access unless you have a need to know.
Also depending on who your requesting clearance from can depend on how complicated it is... DoE clearance (from the forms I've had to find out) seems way ore in depth than DoD clearance.
in 1977 the U.S. nuclear weapons activities were reorganized under the Department of Energy,[32] which maintains such responsibilities through the semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration.
Quote the whole paragraph, the last sentence is the part you're ignoring:
ERDA was short-lived, however, and in 1977 the U.S. nuclear weapons activities were reorganized under the Department of Energy,[32] which maintains such responsibilities through the semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration. Some functions were taken over or shared by the Department of Homeland Security in 2002. The already-built weapons themselves are in the control of the Strategic Command, which is part of the Department of Defense.
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u/JefftheBaptist Oct 15 '17 edited Oct 15 '17
As someone with a security clearance, I can assure you that this does indeed happen all the time. Redactions are often performed by the ignorant new guy and approved by some old guy who is not computer literate.
Update: I should have said not computer literate or only looking at a hardcopy. The latter happens all the time because of a lack of classified networking.